Watashi wa Masako dearu
by Cat and Fiddle
Summary: Most shinobi come from long lineages of shinobi, often acquiring a bloodline limit or clan jutsu from it. Very rarely does someone with no shinobi blood become a ninja... Rating, pairing, genre changes often. Gets better after a few chapters, I promise.
1. Chapter 1: a true shinobi

**_Watashi wa Masako Dearu._**

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**Full Summary:** Most shinobi come from long family lineages of shinobi, often acquiring a blood-line limit or clan jutsu from their parents. Very rarely does someone from a family with no shinobi history or roots become a shinobi, but when a brilliant girl from a modest middle-class family in Konoha is introduced to the world of shinobi a new clan must be named in Konoha. Being a shinobi is no easy task and she must deal with many obstacles and much tragedy; is she cut out for the life of a shinobi?

**Story Rating:** M

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**Chapter Summary: **Kimi is a brilliant child, daughter of two modest shop-keeper parents, leading a sheltered, rather spoiled, life. So, what happens when she comes across a crying boy?

**Chapter Pairing(s): **None yet.

**Chapter Rating: **K+

**Author's Note: **I've been thinking about writing this for a long time now. I'm glad I finally got around to it. The opening isn't as interesting or explanatory as I would have liked, but I'll get into the details and the real plot soon, I promise!

**Disclaimer: **Obviously, I don't own Naruto. I do own Kimi, Yuuki, Obouru, and Minako, however.

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**A True Shinobi**

_Chapter 1_

_"Twenty-three... twenty-four... twenty-five! Kaa-san, Kaa-san-" the small girl's face lit up as she turned to her mother ecstatically, "-twenty-five coins!"_

_"Good job, Kimi-chan!" her mother commended her, sweeping the money off the counter into her hands and giving it to the customer. The elderly lady smiled and bobbed her head._

_"Such a brilliant one you have there, Yuuki-chan!" she praised. Yuuki blushed and nodded._

_"I have been blessed," she agreed. Kimi giggled brightly and clapped her hands. She studied her daughter, bright-eyed and energetic, brown hair tied up in two short braids. "To think she's hardly three and already counting so well! Did my husband tell you yet, Minako-san? She can read now, as well."_

_"Oh-ho!" the old woman exclaimed, "She will be something when she grows up! I can tell- they don't come that smart and not turn into something amazing. I warrant you she'll be famous one day. I do hope I'm still alive then..."_

_"I don't know, obaa-san," Yuuki admitted forlornly, "What could the daughter of a modest shop-keeper such as myself ever amount to?"_

_"Anything she wants to be- isn't that right my little Kimi!" Yuuki's husband interjected, emerging from the house-portion of the building. He hoisted little Kimi high in the air and spun her. Yuuki and the crone smiled._

_"Please take care, Obouru-san, she has been growing like a weed recently," Yuuki warned, not wanting a flying leg or hand to catch and upturn a shelf. Obouru ignored her, making whooshing sounds as he spun his elated daughter. Yuuki sighed as the elderly lady chuckled. Minako nodded goodbye and hobbled out of the store. "Obouru-san, please..."_

_"Alright, alright," Obouru conceded, setting Kimi on her feet. Yuuki watched suspiciously out of the corner of her eye as he leaned in and whispered into their daughter's ear, slipping something into her hands. Kimi beamed, positively brimming with joy. She kissed her dad on the cheek and flashed a grin at Yuuki before skipping out of the store to play. Obouru stood, smiling. Yuuki sighed._

_"Obouru-san, you shouldn't spoil her like that," she chided. Obouru gave her an apologetic smile and she sighed again, determinedly ignoring him, focusing instead on the chore of cleaning the counter. He wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her ear before whispering into it._

_"Let her enjoy herself while she's still a child!"_

_**oOoOoOo**_

_Kimi gleefully skipped down the main street of Konoha, the ten coins given to her by her Tou-san jingling happily in her pocket; it was enough to buy two pounds of candy- oh, wouldn't Kaa-san be upset with him when she found out? She was just deciding on a candy store when she happened across a crying boy, sullenly wiping at his tears in front of her chosen candy shop._

_"Excuse me?" she asked timidly, peering up at him. He sniffed and looked at her before burying his face in the crook of his arm again. She frowned and tugged on his sleeve. He choked back a sob bitterly and stared at their feet. "Why are you crying?" Kimi asked innocently. The boy ground his teeth._

_"S'not your business," he muttered, shrugging. Kimi nodded, understanding._

_"Do you like candy?" she inquired. He nodded reluctantly._

_"Who doesn't?" he mumbled. Kimi grinned brilliantly, dragging him over to the counter._

_"Which kind?" she asked, "I like these."_

_He seemed to consider her choice of candy, assuming a glazed, far-away look for a moment. "These," he croaked, pointing to the toffees. Kimi immediately ordered a pound of his favorite and a pound of her favorite. The boy's eyes went wide._

_"You didn't have to-"_

_"Here," she said, offering the bag of toffees to him, smiling lightly, "For you." He nodded dumbly and accepted. They left the store._

_"I'm Kamigawa Kimi," she introduced cheerfully, gnawing on a stick of licorice. The older boy studied her._

_"Umino Iruka..." he answered, glaring at the toffees in his bag. Kimi looked at him for a minute as they walked._

_"Go ahead," she urged, grinning and popping off another piece of licorice, "Candy is good for the soul- that's what my daddy always tells me!"_

_Iruka considered this for a moment as they make their way through the park. Slowly, he drew a brown and white toffee from the bag. Kimi giggled to herself as he tossed it in his mouth, savoring the flavor. Suddenly, he stopped. Kimi stops when she hears a strangled sob; she turned to find Iruka trembling, fat tears streaming down his cheeks. She carelessly abandoned her bag of licorice and hugged his knees._

**_oOoOoOo_**

_"Iruka-san, why do you cry?" Kimi asked tentatively, sneaking a glance at Iruka. They were perched on the tallest hill in Konoha, relaxing in the grass, listening to the crickets as the sun set. Iruka drew a shaky breath, waiting until toffee in his mouth dissolved before speaking._

_"I became a gennin today," he explained in an unsteady voice, hooking a thumb beneath the fabric part of his hitai-ate, "And it made me think of my parents. They died... a few years back." Kimi couldn't stop herself from gasping._

_"Oh, Iruka-sa-"_

_"No! It was an honorable, shinobi's death!" he cries, wiping furiously at his eyes. "They died protecting- saving! Our village from the threat of the Kyuubi. It was honorable, it was right. I... I'm proud for them. Kimi, I'm becoming a shinobi too, just like Tou-san and Kaa-san so I can protect the village!"_

_"Will you die for the village, too?" Kimi asked softly, fearfully. Iruka blanched._

_"Probably," he admitted, wringing his hands. Kimi frowned._

_"Iruka-san, are shinobi meant to die?"_

_"I... no, they aren't meant to die," he explained, brow creasing in thought. "They're meant to protect and save, though dieing isn't uncommon."_

_"Are all shinobi killed by a Kyuubi?"_

_"No, Kimi-chan," Iruka said, hesitating, "Most shinobi are killed by other shinobi."_

_Kimi looked shocked for a moment before regaining her senses. "Do all shinobi kill?"_

_Iruka thought for a while, mulling over his answer. "Yes."_

_"Why do all shinobi kill?" Kimi asked tearfully, "Isn't killing bad? Wouldn't the world be a better place if no-one killed and no-one died?"_

_Iruka bit on his lip, not having a ready-response for these questions. "Shinobi kill because they have to. In the shinobi world it's kill or be killed, always. Sometimes a shinobi must kill to save lives of innocent people. Sometimes a shinobi is corrupt and kills for joy or power. That is not the way of a true shinobi, however."_

_"Iruka-san... what is the way of a true shinobi?"_

_"The way of a true shinobi is to protect and save people- so protect and save lives. The way of a true shinobi is to serve the Hokage and their village. The true way of a shinobi is to always stick to their word and never break a promise."_

_"What is a shinobi?" Kimi finally asked._

_"A shinobi is a person who uses their chakra to perform jutsus. They are very powerful and they fight for their village and the Hokage to protect the people from harm," he explained. Kimi nodded._

_"They sound like good people," she observed. Iruka nodded. "I think you will be a great shinobi, Iruka-san." Iruka looked at her, shock explicit on his face. Kimi smiled and offered him a stick of licorice. He made a slight face, thinking, then accepted it. He ran his fingers over the ridges of it forlornly._

_"Kaa-san used to love licorice," he muttered, putting the whole thing in his mouth at once and chewing furiously. He swallowed hard and made a mewling sound in the back of his throat, stiffening. Kimi couldn't stop herself from giggling and Iruka turned his choked sob into hoarse laughter._

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**Meanings:**

"Watashi wa Masako dearu." means "I am Justice."

Masako is a name, it means Justice.

Kimi means "she who is without equal", Kamigawa means "river god" or "river spirit"

Yuuki means "snow or lucky"

Obouru is something I made up, so I don't know if it has a meaning (haha)

Umino Iruka means "sea dolphin" (it probably has more than one possible meaning, though)

Minako means "beautiful child" (heh, whoops! She's supposed to a wrinkled old lady.)

kaa-san means Mother, tou-san means Father, obaa-san means old lady.

"last names" or "family names" come before a person's name (example: "Umino Iruka rather than "Iruka Umino") ... it's just a personal pet peeve.


	2. Chapter 2: not allowed

_**Watashi wa Masako dearu.**_

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**Chapter Summary:** Kimi wonders about the life of a shinobi, but Iruka doesn't think she can be.

**Chapter Rating: **K

**Author's Notes:** Yay! I'm writing instead of doing homework; isn't that fantastic? I'm also supposed to be "grounded" right now... but my parents don't understand the meaning of grounded (lucky!). Either way, here comes the second chapter, still not getting to my real plot, just kind of setting a foundation for the story and connecting a few loose ends before I truly get started.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. I do, however, own Kimi, Yuuki, Obouru, Minako,

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**A True Shinobi**

_Chapter 2_

_It was very late when Kimi stumbled back into her house, tired and hungry for dinner. Iruka waved one last time and she gave him a sleepy nod. He flitted away, his after-image fading away. Kimi stared at the empty space wide-eyed, startled that he should disappear like that. Strong hands gasped her shoulders and lifted her. Surprised by the sudden attack, she kicked and screamed._

_"Whoa! It's me, Tou-san!" Obouru exclaimed, turning Kimi so she could see his face. She embarrassedly lowered her fists. He smiled at her._

_"Hi, Tou-san," she greeted softly. He frowned, tucking her under an arm as he marched to the back of the shop._

_"We're going to be in a lot of trouble with your Kaa-san," Obouru warned, setting Kimi on the steps so she could pry off her shoes before entering their house. Kimi nodded resolutely. She linked hands with Obouru and they marched upstairs to Yuuki's wrath._

_"Oh! Kimi-chan, where have you been!? You naughty little thing!" Yuuki exclaimed, gathering her daughter up in her arms. Kimi smiled and hugged her Kaa-san._

_"At the park," she told her, ever honest with her mom. Yuuki frowned._

_"This late? Kimi, you know the rules!" she said, putting Kimi down. Kimi ran to her daddy and clung to his legs._

_"Hai, Kaa-san," she murmured. Yuuki sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Obouru made a move to embrace her but she moved away._

_"Don't even try, Obouru-san," she warned, "You're the one who gave her candy-"_

_"Money for candy, not candy, dear-"_

_"Oh, please!" Yuuki sighed, frustrated. She slid into a dining table chair dramatically. "Why did I marry such an irresponsible man! What did I do to deserve this!?"_

_"But Kaa-san loves Tou-san, right?" Kimi asked, tottering into a chair. She grabbed her fork and spoon(1), "Itadakimasu!"_

_"Of course, Kimi-chan," Yuuki said, smiling. Obouru san swooped in and gave her an Eskimo-kiss. Kimi made a face over her noodles at them. Obouru laughed and Yuuki blushed, waving him away. Obouru took his seat beside Yuuki._

_"So, guess who's getting married in two months?" Yuuki announced, eager to share whatever gossip floated into their store that day._

_"Who?" Obouru asked, humoring her today. She positively beamed._

_"Why, none other than Nobuyuki and Umeko!" Obouru choked on his food._

_"Nobuyuki, as in our Nobuyuki? Across the street?" he asked._

_"The one who sells octopus and fish?" Kimi exclaimed, making a face. Yuuki shot her a look._

_"Yes, our Nobuyuki-san! Isn't it exciting?" Obouru and Yuki exchanged looks._

_"Of- of course, dear," Obouru managed to force out with a laugh. Kimi hid her face in her bowl- as far as she was concerned, Nobuyuki had bad teeth and smelled strongly of fish. Why anyone would want to marry him was beyond her._

_"If we're lucky, we might be invited!" Yuuki exclaims, "But I do worry what should I wear? I don't have any fine silks or kimono..."_

_"Yuuki-chan," Obouru called softly, "We have yet to be invited. Let's not worry about it until we have..."_

_"Of course!" Yuuki agreed, nodding._

_**oOoOoOo**_

_Kimi stared at herself in the medicine cabinet mirror that night, standing on tiptoe and trying to imagine herself in a hitai-ate. She frowned and tied a strip of blue cloth over her forehead, craning her neck to see it from all angles. Deciding she liked it, she hopped down from the stool._

_"I saw that little monster-child today," Yuuki was whispering to Obouru. Kimi stopped outside their room to listen to the conversation, curious. "He is such a mess! And he wanted to come into my store, but no! I wasn't going to let a little bakemono like him just waltz into our store! Not when he houses the ky-" Her voice was steadily rising. Obouru shushed her._

_"Yuuki, it is forbidden to speak of that!" Obouru reminded her urgently, "Especially when our daughter is home!"_

_"You're right, Obouru-san," Yuuki agreed, sighing, "But still, I can't see why he's such a mess! Won't anyone take care of him? It's so irresponsible it's sickening!"_

_"Would you take care of him?" Obouru asked softly. Yuuki stopped pacing._

_"No," she finally answered, defeated and humiliated. The bed squeaked softly in protest as Obouru sat on it. The light in their room flicked off and the bed squeaked again as Yuuki joined him. They mumbled their goodnights and then it was silent. Kimi fiddled with the loose ends of the fabric tied around her head, wondering. Eventually she gave up trying to understand and toddled off to her own room._

_As she lay in bed she tried to imagine what life would be like if her daddy were a ninja. She imagined that he would come home every day from work with grand stories to tell about the people he'd saved. He would have stories about the Hokage and the other ninja- maybe even stories from outside of Konoha! He would teach her jutsu in secret so Yuuki wouldn't yell at them and they would laugh together about the antics of his fellow ninja (Kimi assumed there was more than one ninja in Konoha, since both of Iruka's parents had been ninjas. That made two, at least). She pictured a fun, exciting life with lots of laughter._

_But wasn't life already fun, exciting, and full of laughter?_

_She began to think about if Obouru was a shinobi he might be killed, like many shinobi were. She began to think about the fact that if he were a shinobi he would have to kill. She began to feel a little grateful that her Tou-san wasn't a shinobi. So what if he didn't save lives as a shop-keeper? There wasn't any danger of him being killed as a shop-keeper either._

_Normal was fine._

_**oOoOoOo**_

_Kimi toyed with the flimsy paper bag in her hands, crumpling it then un-crumpling it until it was as smooth as silk. The scent of toffee and licorice was tempting, but she didn't feel like candy at the moment. The sun was hot and she knew the store keeper was becoming agitated at her for sitting on the doorstep of his shop for the fifth time that week. Kimi scanned the street again for any sign of Iruka. She frowned, shading her eyes with a hand. Yes, she realized Iruka was much older than her- and why would someone his age want to hang out with a three-year-old?- but she had the right to hope._

_A shock of blonde hair bobbing along the street caught her attention. She stood up and watched the boy. People seemed to move out of his way; he must be very important, she thought. He wore a wrinkled white shirt and kept his head down, staring at his dirty feet. Kimi frowned again._

_"Oooi!" she shouted, waving a hand at the boy. He looked up, surprised. She waved her hand a little more._

_"Don't do that!" the store manager ordered gruffly, grabbing her hand and dragging her away, "Don't call him over!"_

_"Why not?" Kimi asked innocently, glancing at the boy. He hung his head again and trudged on. She looked up at the shop-keeper astutely. "Why?"_

_"Because he is-" the man stopped himself, grinding his teeth and glaring at the boy while he passed the store. Kimi refused to look. "You parents would not want you playing with him. He's no good, nuthin' but trouble! Now get yerself offa my doorstep! Git!"_

_Kimi stumbled into the street, landing roughly on her butt. She drew in a deep breath to begin wailing. A shadow fell over her._

_"Kimi-chan!"_

_"Huh?" she looked up. Seeing Iruka's face, she forgot all about crying._

_"Iruka-san!" she exclaimed, throwing herself at him._

_"Whoa, whoa!" he laughed, patting her head, "Nice to see you too, Kimi-chan."_

_"I have toffee and licorice!" Kimi announced, shoving the worn bag in Iruka's face. He seemed to grimace a little, but accepted it._

_"How thoughtful," he said, grinning and scratching the back of his head. A boy, slightly taller and with oddly silver hair, appeared over his shoulder._

_"Iruka, who's this?" he asked. Iruka jumped a little._

_"Oh! Mizuki-san, this is Kamigawa Kimi," he introduced. Mizuki looked at Kimi who grinned and waggled her fingers at him. He frowned._

_"You keep company with toddlers?" he asked condescendingly. Kimi frowned and Iruka shrugged._

_"I'm not a toddler!" Kimi exclaimed, defending herself, "I'm three!" Mizuki laughed, flicking her forehead._

_"Ha! Iruka is twelve, Kimi-chan. In fact, he's almost thirteen!" Iruka blushed and muttered something to Mizuki. Mizuki made a surprised face, but shrugged. He didn't say anything else. Kimi studied him suspiciously. Iruka smiled sheepishly._

_"Kimi-chan, Mizuki-san and I were just heading to the park. Would you like to join us?" he asked. Mizuki shot him a look that said no-way, but Iruka ignored him._

_"Um..." Kimi hesitated, glancing at Mizuki. Mizuki sighed, frustrated, and grabbed her hand, storming off in the direction of the park. He glared at Iruka over his shoulder._

_"Are you coming or not, Iruka?"_

_Iruka laughed and caught up._

_**oOoOoOo**_

_"Iruka-san, Iruka-san, look!" Kimi exclaimed after Mizuki left. Iruka sat back in the grass and Kimi bent to show him the cloth wound around her forehead. She grinned triumphantly, "I'm a shinobi, too!" Iruka grinned._

_"That's fantastic, Kimi!" he said, "What clan are you from?"_

_"Clan?" Kimi asked, sitting beside Iruka. He frowned._

_"You know," he explained, "A group of shinobi that pass down techniques, like the Uchiha clan. No? Aburame, Hyuuga, Inuzuka? None of those are familiar to you?" Kimi shook her head and he sighed. "You're not from a shinobi family, are you?"_

_"Nu-uh," Kimi confirmed with a shake of her head. Iruka frowned._

_"Kimi-chan, I don't mean to shoot down your dreams, but... you can't be a shinobi if you're not from a family of shinobi. It just doesn't happen."_

_"Nu-uh!" Kimi exclaimed with the singular determination of a child. Iruka shook his head._

_"No-on from my graduating class came from a non-shinobi family, Kimi-chan! It just doesn't happen," he tried to explain. Kimi shook her head furiously._

_"But Tou-san says I can be anything I want to be!" Kimi exclaimed, tears forming in her eyes, "I want to save lives!" Iruka stared at her, fighting the urge to remind her that it also often meant ending lives, that if often lead to death._

_"Kimi-chan..." he murmured. Kimi shook her head._

_"No!" she whined. Iruka sighed and thought while Kimi wept bitterly. Suddenly, enlightenment struck him._

_"Kimi-chan!" he exclaimed with such enthusiasm that Kimi stopped crying and looked up, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "I know of a way we can tell if you have the potential to be a ninja," he said. Kimi held her breath, waiting. "There's a way to test for chakra type(2). If we use it and there is any reaction at all then you could be a ninja!"_

_"Yay!" Kimi exclaimed, jumping up and down, "I can be a ninja!" Iruka laughed with her as she struck a few of what she imagined were shinobi poses._

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(1) I'm not sure about in Japan, but in China younger children use these spoon-type things and forks until their fine motor skills are good enough to use chopsticks effectively. I can only assume that it's similar in Japan.

(2) I read this somewhere on a Naruto fan-site (yes, I do research for my writing... haha, I'm such a loser) that there is a paper they use and you hold it and channel your chakra into it and it is destroyed by your chakra. They way in which it is destroyed is the type of chakra you have. I can't remember the specifics of it right now, though.

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**Meanings:**

"Hai" means "Yes"

"Nobuyuki" means "truthful happiness"

"Umeko" means "plum blossom child"

"Bakemono" means "monster"


	3. Chapter 3: guilt

_**Watashi wa Masako dearu.**_

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**Chapter Summary:** Iruka asks his sensei for the chakra testing papers but is refused. Mizuki suggests he just take them; the village has enough, anyways! Iruka-centric (No Kimi- yay! I mean, of course I love my main character...)

**Chapter Pairing(s):** Iruka x Mizuki

**Chapter Rating:** T for language and kissing

**Author's Notes:** Finally, the rating goes up! But hey, look: the plot is starting to move! And what's this? I've added some romance?! Yay! I was just trying to write an outline for my plot and I realized that by not writing it down when I thought of it the first time I've forgotten a lot of really important details. Hopefully, they'll come back to me. Let's all cross our fingers and hope!

On the other hand, I couldn't (easily) find what Iruka's gennin cell was (I vaguely recall seeing a picture somewhere, but I'm too lazy to look for it again). I couldn't find it with a quick sweep, so I'm going to pick out his gennin cell. I'm assuming it would be one of the three sannin or a parent of one of the younger generation from the anime (Aburame Shibi, Akimichi Chouza, etc.) If anyone knows who his cell leader was, that would be great. Also... if anyone knows who was the cell leader of Kakashi's cell that would be fantastic if you told me. I know it was one of the sannin, I think, but I'm not sure. I'd like these little details to be right, if it can be helped. Thankyou.

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**A True Shinobi**

_Chapter_ _3_

_"Chouza-sensei, can I have some of those papers they use to test chakra type?"(1)_

_Akimichi Chouza looked down at his student, Umino Iruka. Iruka looked up at him with pleading eyes. Akimichi folded his arms and returned to glaring at the other cell members, Sarugaku Tsuyimi and Mijiri Tsuman. "What would you want those for, Iruka? You've already been tested for your chakra type. You were wind."_

_"I know, but um..." Iruka fumbled for an excuse- somehow he didn't think telling Chouza he wanted to see if a three-year-old daughter of two shop-keepers could use chakra was going to cut it. "I, uh, I wanted to see if, um, I... If I could use more than one kind of chakra yet!"_

_Chouza studied him out of the corner of his eyes and Iruka bristled, knowing he wasn't a good liar. Tsuyimi gave a loud shout of surprise followed by Tsuman's whoop. "Don't hurt him, Tsuman!" Chouza barked. Tsuman gave a groan of protest and Tsuyimi stuck his tongue out at him._

_"Fuck you, Tsuyimi!" Tsuman growled. Tsuyimi gave a yelp and Chouza gave Iruka his full scrutiny while the two ran in circles._

_"I don't think you can yet, Iruka-kun," he admitted, "When did you practice using other forms of chakra?"_

_"I, uh..." Iruka shrugged. "I haven't." Chouza sighed._

_"No, Iruka, I can't give you any of the paper. Besides, I don't have any anyways; the Hokage-sama has it."_

_"Chouza-sensei, Tsuman is cheating!" Tsuyimi whined. Tsuman rolled his eyes._

_"Am not! You're just a wimp, Tsuyimi!" Tsuman complained. Chouza rolled his eyes, sighing heavily, not noticing Iruka moping by his side._

_"Quit it, you two," he barked. Immediately, Tsuyimi and Tsuman stopped their griping. "Training is over... it's getting late anyways," Chouza announced, looking up at the sky. "What do you say to barbeque?"_

_"Hell yeah!" they shouted, forgetting all about their dispute. Iruka chuckled, watching their retreating backs._

_"Oi, Iruka," Chouza said, realizing the boy wasn't following, "Aren't you coming?" Iruka shook his head._

_"Iei-desu, Chouza-sensei," he said, "Arigato, demo... I promised to meet Mizuki-san tonight."_

_Chouza nodded._

_"Come on, let's go!" Tsuman urged, tugging at Chouza's sleeve._

_"Barbeque, barbeque!" Tsuyimi chanted and Tsuman soon joined him. Chouza laughed and let Tsuman drag him off. Iruka waited until they were gone to heave a heavy sigh and trudge off. So much for plan A._

_Too bad he didn't have a plan B._

_**oOoOoOo**_

_"Iruka, you look troubled," Mizuki observed. Iruka kept his hands in his pockets he shrugged. Mizuki frowned, brushing a few loose hairs out of Iruka's face. "What's up?"_

_Iruka sighed. "I was trying to get chakra test papers from Chouza-sensei, but he said he didn't have any," he explained. Mizuki laughed and Iruka looked a little betrayed._

_"What would you want chakra test papers for?" Mizuki asked, wrapping an arm around Iruka's shoulders. Iruka blushed lightly._

_"I... I wanted to use them to see if Kimi-chan could use chakra."_

_Mizuki's eyes widened. He seemed to consider this for a while before scoffing. "She's nothing but a regular human! There's no way she can use chakra. What is she, the daughter of some small-time farmer?"_

_"Shop-keeper," Iruka corrected, fuming. "And she's determined to be a ninja. I told her it wasn't likely, but she wants to check anyways." Mizuki studied him for a moment._

_"And you let her push you around like that? How old was she, three? Iruka! How could you?" he chided. Iruka glared at the ground, kicking a pebble across the street._

_"I'm the one who suggested it," he muttered. "Besides, what could it hurt to check?"_

_"Nothing, I guess," Mizuki grudgingly admitted. He steered them into an alley and Iruka didn't protest, though he did slip out from under Mizuki's arm, linking their hands instead. They walked in a comfortable silence, each lost in his own thoughts. Suddenly, Mizuki interrupted the quiet reverie. "I know of a way you can get some of those chakra test papers!"_

_"Really?" Iruka exclaimed, eyes brightening. Mizuki stared into them a moment before responding._

_"Yes," he said, a glint in his eye, "There is a storage room where they are kept. The lock is old and rusted..."_

_"Are you suggesting...? Oh, Mizuki-san! I couldn't," Iruka protested, "That's stealing! A true shinobi doesn't steal!"_

_"Did you tell Chouza-sensei that you wanted the test papers for Kimi-chan?" Mizuki probed. Iruka opened his mouth to answer, then closed it. Mizuki smirked triumphantly as Iruka hung his head in shame. "See, you already lied. Isn't that also not your way of the ninja? What can it hurt to borrow some chakra test papers. You obviously had no trouble telling a little white lie." Iruka made a soft mewling sound in the back of his throat, overwhelmed with guilt. Mizuki slipped a few fingers beneath Iruka's chin, forcing him to look up. He brushed his lips across Iruka's softly. The younger boy gasped, shivering slightly._

_"What could it hurt?" Mizuki whispered. Iruka whimpered._

_"It's wrong!" he hissed._

_"You've already lied," Mizuki reminded him. Iruka frowned, mulling it over. Mizuki took advantage of this to kiss him again, pressing the smaller boy against a wall._

_"Alright," Iruka gasped when they broke for air, "I'll do it... but I'm going to pay the Hokage-sama back."_

_"That's a good boy," Mizuki purred, running a hand through Iruka's messy pony-tail. Iruka grimaced and pushed Mizuki away. Mizuki made a hurt face._

_"I'm going to do it tonight," Iruka announced, determined not to lose his resolve. Mizuki nodded and stepped aside. He watched Iruka's retreating back, smirk hidden by the night. Perfect._

_**oOoOoOo**_

_"Hokage-sama!" Mizuki burst into the Hokage's room, unannounced. The Sandaime glared out the window at the twinkling stars. He had just been packing up to go home and rest._

_"Yes, Mizuki-kun?" he asked patiently. Mizuki took a moment to gather his breath, as though he had just been running._

_"Hokage-sama, Iruka-san told me he was planning to break into the old storage house to steal a sacred scroll!" he explained. The Hokage's eyes went wide._

_"Iruka said this?" he questioned, disbelieving. Mizuki nodded devoutly._

_"Just a few minutes ago! If you hurry, it's possible to stop him before he commits this heinous act!" Mizuki urged. The Sandaime Hokage glowered, chewing on the mouthpiece of his pipe. After a moment, he ordered a group of chuunin to track down and retrieve Iruka and whatever he's stolen. Mizuki bowed and made his exit, grinning evilly once out of the Hokage's sight._

_**oOoOoOo**_

_The old store house was easy enough to locate. Iruka took a quick survey of the grounds and, after determining there were no guards present, jumped down from the roof of a nearby building. The brittle September grass crunched quietly under his feet as he approached. The store house was more like a moldy old shed, really. The paint chipped and peeled, the boards creaked and groaned softly in the gentle breeze. Iruka examined the lock. Mizuki was right, it was so thoroughly rusted through it couldn't possibly do any good at all- it all but disintegrated when Iruka's shaking hands touched it._

_"Oh..." Iruka murmured, wiping the murky red-brown rust smudges on his fingers off on his pants. He touched his hitai-ate, muttering an apology before slowly easing the door open. With a final glance over his shoulder, he slipped inside._

_It was dark in the store house, so Iruka lit a match. As he looked around he realized it was a very bad idea to bring fire into this structure; the walls were lined with loose papers, disorganized and collecting dust. There were heavily bound books and framed papers everywhere. Iruka gulped, not knowing where to begin in his search for chakra test papers._

_Towards the rear of the large building- it looked so small from the outside!- he discovered a closed box clearly labeled 'chakra test papers'. Smiling at his fortune, Iruka nudged the lid off with a foot. The first paper he touched immediately tore in half. Loudly. Wincing at the sound of it, Iruka whirled around and squinted into the darkness, straining his ears. No sound greeted him, so he assumed no-one was following him and had heard. He turned back to the box._

_This time, he was careful to withdraw his chakra from his hand as he pulled out a sheet of paper and folded it neatly. As he put it in his pocket, his fingers brushed against the cold forms of two coins. He considered them for a moment, then tossed them in the box before replacing the top._

_This time when he turned, the sound of distant voices, fast approaching, greeted him. A thrill of icy fear raced down his spine as he heard the door of the storage house kicked open. Gruff voices filled the room. The match burned down to its last, singing Iruka's fingers before going out. Coming to his senses, Iruka spied the nearest window (probably the only one in the whole building) and forced it open enough to squirm out. As he ran away, he could hear the cursing of the men who caught him; they were too large to fit through the small crack._

_Iruka cried as he ran, feeling guiltier than ever._

* * *

(1) I looked up the paper thing and I found out a little about it. Here is what the website said:

"To find out the type of chakra a ninja uses they use paper

from a tree that feeds off of chakra. If the paper splits your

type of chakra is wind, if it bursts into flames yours is fire,

gets soggy its of water, the paper crumples if you are of

lightning, and it turns to dust if you are of earth chakra."

* * *

**Meanings:**

Chouza means "long stay" but for some reason I couldn't find the meaning of Akimichi. Sorry guys.

"sensei" means "teacher"

I couldn't find "Sarugaku Tsuyimi" or "Mijiri Tsuman" either, but they are real characters from Naruto and are about Iruka's age (maybe a year younger or older)

chakra is physical and spiritual energy used for jutsu, but I think you all knew that.

Oi is about the same as our "Hey"

"Iei-desu"; "Iei" means "no", "-desu" makes things polite (correct me if I'm wrong).

"arigato" means "thankyou" or "thanks" but most people know that now, too.

I'm pretty sure "Sandaime" means "third"

"Hokage" means flame shadow. The Hokage is like the equivalent of our president... kinda, but not really.


	4. Chapter 4: chakra papers

_**Watashi wa Masako dearu.**_

* * *

****

**Chapter Summary:** This time Iruka is the one waiting at the candy store; he seems uneasy, but Konoha is a safe place, right? There are surprises in store for more people than Iruka and Kimi... were the chakra test papers worth it?

**Chapter Rating:** T for

**Author's Notes:** Eck, I'm beginning to wonder what's wrong with me. I never write this much... oh well. Let's see this plot go! Just kidding, it'll take a while to get to the real plot, but at least it's -starting- to get interesting (God, I'm such a failure; ha!). In any case, I just realized that I forgot a disclaimer in the last chapter (I think I did, anyways... ugh, I hate my stupidity) so yeah... insert disclaimer for last chapter here. And now... this chapter's:

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. I do own Kimi, Nobuyuki, Umeko, Yuuki, Obouru, and Tsuneo, though.

* * *

**A True Shinobi**

_Chapter 4_

_The next evening Iruka was the one waiting at the candy shop, clutching a bag of licorice. Kimi smiled and waved as she neared. Iruka shoved the bag in her hands somewhat irately. Kimi gave him a confused look._

_"It's a new flavor," he explained, leading her towards the park. Kimi gasped and attacked the candy eagerly, chewing on it thoughtfully. "Raspberry, I think."_

_She nodded. "Yup! Yum... do you want any, Iruka-san?"_

_"Iei-desu," Iruka declined, shaking his head, "I already had a piece. I don't like it- funny aftertaste." Kimi seemed to consider this. After a moment's though she made a face and nodded. She glared sullenly at the bag of candy, eventually shrugging and sucking on another strip of licorice._

_"It's worth it. I'll tell Tsuneo-san about the aftertaste, though," she determined, sure that Tsuneo would be happy to know of a way to improve his candy. Iruka chuckled lightly, but somehow it sounded heavy to Kimi. She scrutinized her older companion. He began to appear uncomfortable, glancing around constantly with unnecessary caution; Konoha was a very safe place. "Iruka-san, what's your problem?" she asked innocently. Iruka surveyed the street again, shrugging. Kimi frowned, but Iruka didn't say anything until they reached their hill in the park. He was beginning to make Kimi feel uncomfortable. "Iruka-san?"_

_Iruka gave their surroundings one final examination before deciding they were alone and unwatched. Carefully, he produced a sheet of chakra paper and showed it to Kimi. She admired it appreciatively._

_"What's that?" she asked. Iruka glanced around again, unfolding it._

_"This is chakra paper. It's made from the bark of a special tree. It draws a person's chakra then reacts to it. There are five types of chakra and it reacts differently to each type. If it reacts when you touch it Kimi-chan then it means you have chakra," Iruka explained. Kimi nodded dumbly. "If you have chakra, then that means you have the potential to become a ninja."_

_"Can we try it now?" Kimi queried, eager to prove that she could, in fact, be a shinobi. Iruka frowned but nodded, checking again for people. He hesitantly handed the paper to Kimi. She held it tightly, pouting in concentration. Nothing. Iruka heaved a sigh, having known this would happen._

_"It's supposed to be instantaneous-" Suddenly, the paper simultaneously crumpled and split in half. Iruka gave a shout of surprise and Kimi stood stock still, petrified. She took one look at the ghastly expression akin to horror on Iruka's face and shrieked- high, long, and loud. The shriek developed into wails and sobs, but Iruka didn't budge, the blank, bewildered expression on his face frozen there._

_"Iruka-kun?" The boy turned slowly, expression unchanging. The Hokage frowned, coming into view. "Where is the chakra paper you stole?"_

_Iruka seemed to attempt an answer, but nothing came out. The Hokage turned his attention to the wailing child, holding a crumpled, ripped paper that was beginning to singe at the corners. A look of shock passed over his face, sending Kimi ever further into hysterics. Shakily, the Hokage removed the pipe from his mouth, sighing heavily and thrusting it into Iruka's chest as he approached the child. Shushing quietly, he gathered Kimi into his arms, rocking her and assuring her it was okay, everything was alright now. Slowly, Kimi calmed down, shrieks and sobs diminishing to soft hiccups. Iruka's shock melted into disbelief and confusion. The Hokage shot him a look._

_"Iruka-kun, was that...?"_

_"Hai-desu," Iruka confirmed. The Hokage sighed, stroking Kimi's loose hair. She sniffed. Iruka frowned. "Hokage-sama..."_

_"I saw," the Hokage warned him, still cradling the girl. "Impressive, was it not? For a child her age to control two types of chakra..." Iruka could only nod dumbly._

_"Impressive," the Hokage murmured, a shadow passing over his eyes. "I assume she is the reason you stole chakra papers?'_

_"I left money!" Iruka defended himself. Sandaime scoffed._

_"Chakra paper is expensive, Iruka-kun. It is worth much more than the two coins you left in the box," he explained. Iruka hung his head in shame. Sarutobi sighed and shook his head at the ignorance of young ninja in his village. He shifted his attention to the child, nearly asleep in his arms._

_"What is your name, little one?" he asked softly. She sniffed and wiped her eyes._

_"Kamigawa Kimi," she told him. He nodded, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. He tapped the navy cloth tied around her forehead. She blushed shyly, twiddling her thumbs. Sandaime smiled._

_"What's this, Kimi-chan?" he asked. She grinned._

_"I'm gunna be a great shinobi when I grow up! Just like Iruka-san," she explained happily. The Hokage and Iruka couldn't suppress smiles._

_"Go to sleep, Kimi-chan," the Hokage instructed kindly. She nodded, yawning widely. Sandaime looked at Iruka who was shuffling his feet nervously. He spared the jittery boy a smile. "You may have done good, Iruka-kun-" Iruka heaved a sigh of relief, "- that does not mean you are exempted from punishment, however."_

_Iruka's shoulders slumped. He reached up to untie his hitai-ate._

_"Don't," Sarutobi ordered. "Your punishment will be civil service. As soon as possible, I want you to research the Kamigawa family lineage and report to me once you are through. Use the official library- show the guards my pipe and they'll let you in. Now, run along; I'll take Kimi-chan home. It's getting late." He gave Iruka a curt nod and they went their ways._

_**oOoOoOo**_

_Iruka was restless. He tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Kimi had two types of chakra at her disposal; most ninja possessed only one until they reached jounin level. The only explanation was a bloodline limit, but Kimi came from a family with no shinobi history at all. Besides, Iruka couldn't think of any bloodline limits that mixed wind chakra and lightning chakra. Though, try as he might, he could not think of a satisfactory alternative explanation. Somewhere in that child's lineage there must have been shinobi blood, and it must have trickled down to her. It was the only way._

_Yet it still didn't make sense._

_Frustrated, Iruka rolled out of bed and got dressed again, after having lain down for only twenty minutes. Better to get started on his civil service sooner rather than later. He shrugged on a heavy jacket to fend off the chilly September nights in Konoha._

_The trip to the Hokage's building was relatively quick, but the temperature inside was even colder than outside. Iruka presented the guards with Sarutobi's pipe. If they were confused, they didn't show it and led him to the Hokage's private library without a word. Both masked nin left Iruka alone in the library to gape at the towering cases of books in awe. The gennin had never seen anything like it before; so many books in one room!_

_After the initial shock wore off, Iruka set to finding all the books he would need- a dubious task, considering the hundreds of shelves which filled the room._

_It didn't look so big from the outside! Iruka thought as he began to systematically search, trying to narrow down the places to look based on what he needed. If luck was with him, he would find enough material by morning to begin his research._

_If luck wasn't with him... well, he didn't want to think about that just yet._

_**oOoOoOo**_

_"Who could that be?" Yuuki mumbled sleepily. Said person rapped on the front door again. Yuuki elbowed her husband in the ribs. "Obouru-san, someone is knocking at the door," she informed him. He groaned and rolled over, resuming his obnoxious snoring. Yuuki moaned softly, elbowing him again, harder. "Obouru-san, get up! Someone is knocking at the door: go answer it!"_

_Obouru grumbled but got up, muttering darkly about stupid neighbors and ungodly hours. Yuuki sighed and lethargically sat, ready to follow her husband should it be important. Obouru stifled a yawn as he shrugged into his robe haphazardly and stumbled down the stairs._

_"Yes? What do you want-" he blinked at their visitor. Rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Blinked again. "H-Hokage-sama!"_

_Sandaime smiled warmly, offering Kimi to her father. "I was just taking a walk in the park when I happened across her. I thought I might as well return her to her parents."_

_"I- uh, a-arigato," Obouru stuttered, taking his daughter. He adjusted the sleeping girl in his arms. She snuggled closer, recognizing the scent of her Tou-san even while asleep. The Hokage gave a tip of his hat and left. Yuuki was just trudging down the steps, tying her robe shut when the Hokage's back disappeared from view. She squinted down the street._

_"Who was it, Obouru-san?" she inquired. Obouru blinked a few times, as though he had forgotten to in the past minutes. He handed Kimi to a befuddled Yuuki._

_"The Hokage," he explained. "He said he found Kimi in the park so he brought her home." Yuuki gasped and peered down the street again._

_"Konoha is truly blessed to have such a good and caring Hokage," she murmured gratefully. Obouru nodded in full agreement. They returned upstairs to get some much-needed rest, glad to have their daughter at home- though they'd never admit they hadn't known their daughter had snuck out of the house and wasn't in bed asleep._

_"I wonder what in the world she does every day at the park," Yuuki commented once back in bed. She snuggled closer to Kimi who was tucked snugly between both adults. Obouru yawned obscenely, shrugging. Yuuki frowned, "Obouru-san..."_

_"Relax, Yuuki-chan," he mumbled, stretching, "Kimi's probably mad herself some friends now."_

_"That's what worries me. I don't know them- Obouru-san, what if they're bad kids? Just look! They left her sleeping in the park! She's always leaving at the crack of dawn and doesn't come home until the sun has set," Yuuki worried, "She's always worn out and her clothes are dusty."_

_"Shhh, don't worry, Yuuki-chan," Obouru consoled her, turning onto his side to face her, "She's probably just playing sports with the boys or making sandcastles with the girls. Konoha is a safe place, she'll be fine."_

_"She's only three," Yuuki reminded him._

_"She's very smart," Obouru countered, doting on his daughter even in her sleep._

_"Being smart and being able to protect herself are two different things, completely!" Yuuki chided, "The way things are, I can't even be sure she's eating right or making good choices or playing in the wrong parts of town or associating with the bakemono or-"_

_"Shhh, Yuuki-chan, Yuuki-chan," Obouru hushed his wife with a finger to her lips. "Let's discuss this later. Right now all you need to worry about is sleeping."_

_Yuuki held her breath, holding in all the arguments swirling around within her, everything she was worrying about, important and not. Obouru stroked her cheek delicately and she exhaled all her troubles, for the night, at least. Slowly, both she and her husband drifted into sleep._

* * *

**Meanings:**

Tsuneo means "common man"

-sama is an honorific, it's very formal/polite and can be translated as "lord" or "master"

not much to explain today, huh?


	5. Chapter 5: types of training

_**Watashi wa Masako dearu.**_

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Summary:** Kimi had this strange ability to make things better.

**Chapter Pairing(s): **Mizuki x Iruka, hinted Tsuman x Tsuyimi

**Chapter Rating: **T for language and mild romance.

**Author's Notes: **Sorry it's taken such a long time... I got caught up with my Shino x Kiba, Neji x Shikamaru, and drabbles (d'oh!) I am now proud to present the fifth chapter!

While we're at it... I drew pictures of Kimi and her parents. They're on my Deviant (my username is WHATifTHEYcouldSEE, capitols included). The picture of Kimi is her when she is four, though, not three (yes, there is a large difference in her appearance between the two ages so it does matter).

**Disclaimer:** I don't have the imaginative faculties to create something as awesome as Naruto.

* * *

**A True Shinobi**

_Chapter 5_

_Iruka massaged his aching temples, pushing aside yet another thick volume of names and relations. All night. All night and not a single drop of shinobi blood in the Kamigawa's (traceable) family history. Not even any marriages or legal, but not blood, relations to any shinobi. The family was completely sheltered from that world; every Kamigawa in the books had been an artisan of some sort. The position of shopkeeper was an all-time high for the Kamigawa bloodline._

_So far all Iruka knew was that the Kamigawas descended from the daughter second cousin once removed of a wealthy merchant family in water country on a vacation in Konoha and fell in love with a construction worker. They ran away and lived in the next village over for a few years before returning to Konoha where the husband took an apprenticeship to a small time potter. Eventually the Kamigawa's took over the role of artisans, a small branch of the family opting to deliver the works as opposed to creating. Kimi's parents were from the smaller branch and the first to rise to the position of shopkeepers. (They still did business with the main family, but the main family had long since changed their surname)._

_His best lead was the unnamed construction worker._

_"Iruka-kun?"_

_"M-Mizuki-san?"_

_"Hey," Mizuki murmured, ghosting a hand through the nin's hair. Iruka smiled warmly up at his boyfriend._

_"Why're you here?" he mumbled sleepily. Mizuki tucked the tired boy's head to his chest comfortingly. Iruka let out a contented sigh and above him, out of view, Mizuki scowled. Why was the infuriating boy not in trouble?_

_"I was worried about you... I looked all day yesterday before the Hokage-sama told me you'd be here," Mizuki explained lovingly. Iruka smiled, mewling contentedly and snuggling closer to Mizuki._

_"I'm so tired," he whined softly, leaning heavily on Mizuki. Mizuki rolled his eyes but cooed back:_

_"You were up all night researching, weren't you?" Iruka nodded and Mizuki sighed. "You should take a break."_

_"I love you, Mizuki-san." Mizuki's scowl deepened._

_"Me too," he whispered, kissing the top of Iruka's head rather roughly._

_"Oi, Iruka!" Tsuyimi shouted, barging in on the almost-moment. Mizuki quickly distanced himself from Iruka. If Tsuyimi noticed, he didn't say anything. He did cock an eyebrow at the lustrous shade of red his teammate's face took on. A dark blur shot through the door, barreling Tsuyimi over._

_"Damnit, you cheater!" Tsuman growled, straddling his cell mate._

_"What d'ya mean, how could I cheat if we weren't even competing?" Tsuyimi whined. Tsuman growled and rolled off his partner. They stood, brushing themselves off._

_"Um... O-ohayo, Tsuyimi-san, Tsuman-san," Iruka greeted. Mizuki backed into a dark corner, determined not to get mixed up with Iruka's mental friends._

_Tsuman looked at Iruka, as if surprised that Iruka was there. He ran a hand through his hair, laughing airily. "Right! We came to get you-"_

_"Can't hole yourself up all day, you bookworm," Tsuyimi interjected, sticking out his tongue when Tsuman gave him a nasty look._

_"Chouza-sensei says we gotto practice today," Tsuman informed Iruka with a dirty sneer._

_"He says he's got something really special for you," Tsuyimi added with a nod. Tsuman whapped him over the head._

_"Idiot! Don't tell him that," he shouted. Iruka tuned out the ensuing argument with practiced ease, turning to discover Mizuki had disappeared._

_"Huh," he said, getting up. "All right, let's go then, if you're ready."_

_He eyed his two teammates, holding each other in head-locks._

_"Yosh!" Tsuman exclaimed, magically disentangling himself from Tsuyimi, while still maintaining a vice grip on the other boy, dragging him off at a proud march. Iruka wondered if it was really healthy to drag someone around like that, but figured Tsuman and Tsuyimi did that all the time, so it must've been okay, since Tsuyimi was still in one piece._

_**oOoOoOo**_

_Kimi awoke smooshed between her parents, Obouru's snoring loud in her ear and pillow slightly damp from her own drool. She noisily popped her thumb out of her mouth and wriggled out of bed. Yuuki mumbled something and rolled over. Obouru scooted closer and draped his arm across her waist and resumed snoring. Kimi giggled. Kaa-san and Tou-san were so cute._

_Kimi toddled around the house, busily preparing for the day. The trauma of last night nothing but a faded memory, lurking at the edges of her conscious; the recuperative abilities of a three-year-old were at work. She bounced from room to room, switching from task-to-task before any one was completed. She stumbled out the door leaving in her wake an utterly destroyed kitchen. But there was breakfast on the table for Kaa-san and Tou-san and that meant her mission was accomplished._

_This early in the morning the streets were nearly empty. Kimi watched eagerly as a few early vendors set up their booths and early-bird shoppers prowled the street. She found that she thoroughly enjoyed the sensation of a sleepy Konoha stirring to meet the day._

_"Iruka-san!" she exclaimed, bounding down the street to her companion, as bright as the sun in the East, "What're you doing up so early?"_

_"I have to go train," Iruka explained, gesturing to the two boys with him. Kimi nodded understandingly._

_"Can we play at the park?" she asked inquisitively. Iruka shook his head._

_"I have to **train**, Kimi-chan," he repeated patiently. Kimi furrowed her brow, not understanding._

_"But we can still play at the park?" she asked. Iruka sighed and shook his head a little more decisively._

_"No, Kimi-chan. I have to train. That means I will be busy all day," he explained to her. She pouted and folded her arms childishly. The two boys accompanying Iruka laughed heartily._

_"Awe, Iruka's got a lil' **girlfriend**," they teased, "It's about time you caught up!" Iruka blushed a furious shade of red and rounded on them._

_"She's not my girlfriend!" he explained, "Her name is Kimi and she's just a friend."_

_"You make friends with babies?" Tsuman laughed, flicking Kimi's make-pretend hitai-ate. "You're so lame, Iruka!"_

_"I'm not a baby!" Kimi protested, stomping her foot, "I'm a whole three years old!"_

_Tsuman laughed even harder, slapping his knee heartily._

_"Kimi, these are my cell members. This is Tsuyimi-" Tsuyimi nodded, "- and that meanie over there laughing is Tsuman. You best avoid him," Iruka introduced them. Kimi smiled and waved at Tsuyimi, then beckoned the boy over. Confused, Tsuyimi obeyed and Kimi stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear. A faint blush splashed across Tsuyimi's cheeks and he nodded. With a face of determination, Kimi stormed over to Tsuman and kicked him in the shin with all her might._

_"Awe, fuck! That actually hurt," Tsuman complained, holding his shin and hopping. He glared at Kimi who blew a raspberry at him before hiding behind a shocked Iruka. "Damnit, Iruka, make her go away!"_

_Iruka laughed._

_"Admit it, Tsuman, you deserved that," Tsuyimi said. Tsuman howled in frustration._

_"Goddamnit, don't you act innocent, dumbass! I know you told her to do it!" Tsuman shouted at the boy, chasing him down the street. Iruka sighed and scratched the back of his head, watching the dust-cloud they kicked up settle._

_"Sorry Kimi-chan, but I had better be going. Chouza-sensei will be really angry if I'm late," Iruka explained with an apologetic smile. Kimi pouted, but didn't say anything when Iruka took off after his bickering teammates. Kimi's pout didn't last long; she was soon grinning and thinking about how close they seemed (even though they were arguing) and wished she had a group of friends like that._

_Suddenly, she felt very very lonely and purposeless standing in the middle of the slowly filling street._

_**oOoOoOo**_

_Chouza knew how to put his large stature (in girth and height) to good use when reprimanding. Even the bold Tsuman fidgeted nervously beneath his sensei's glare._

_"You're late," he boomed._

_"I'm sorry, Chouza-sensei, I-"_

_"He had to stop and buy candy for his bratty **baby** friend, Kimi!" Tsuman explained._

_"What? That's not-"_

_"Tsuman, that's ten laps around Konoha for lying," Chouza sighed, uncrossing his arms. Tsuman gaped, turned a deep shade of angry red, and took off. The chances of him actually running ten laps around Konoha were slim. More likely than not, Tsuman would take the rest of the day off._

_"Tsuyimi?"_

_"I, um..." Tsuyimi clammed up, shrugging._

_Iruka opened his mouth to explain._

_"Go practice your taijutsu with the posts," Chouza ordered, effectively halting Iruka's excuse. Tsuyimi rolled his eyes and muttered about being above practice posts, but stalked off anyways, aware of the consequences of ignoring Chouza._

_Now Iruka knew he was in for it, because Chouza had deliberately made him the only one shaking under his glare._

_Chouza drew himself up to his full height. "Iruka, I think you know what I'm going to say."_

_"I'm sorry, Chouza-sensei, I really am!" Iruka burst, digging the heels of his palms into his eyes, "I know it's not right to steal! I know, but... I just had to, I just did... I..."_

_"Hush," Chouza sighed, drooping. He could only stay mad for so long, and not with Iruka. Iruka always meant well. "Come on, have a seat."_

_Iruka sat on the fallen log, beside his sensei, biting back his sobs. Chouza's hand hovered behind his back, debating whether to pat the boy's back in a fatherly way, or to give the boy his space._

_Deciding he did not want to play a father role to Iruka, who probably did not want it anyway, the hand fell, settling on Chouza's right knee._

_"I assume Hokage-sama spoke to you about it already," he rumbled. Iruka nodded._

_"H-he said it may have done some good," Iruka recalled. Chouza nodded._

_"You did discover someone with an amazing amount of potential," he commended, "But it was wrong to steal. Why didn't you file the request with the higher-ups, first?"_

_Iruka shrugged, "M'not sure anymore. It just... I did what I thought I had to do."_

_Chouza sighed. "That important, huh?"_

_"I guess, yeah."_

_"So... tell me this friend of yours isn't really a baby," Chouza said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Iruka shook his head._

_"I guess... more of a toddler," he admitted, shoulders shaking in silent laughter at the realization that he had stolen something for a toddler, "but she acts a good deal older. She has this... way of knowing just exactly what to do to comfort somebody. It's amazing."_

_Chouza thought back to the graduation, when Tsuyimi and Tsuman failed to notice Iruka's depression, and when he himself had been unable to do anything for the boy. A toddler was able to cure all that? He shook his head in disbelief._

_"It is," he agreed. Iruka stiffened, fisting the cloth of his pants._

_"What is my punishment, Chouza-sensei? I know you must have one for me," he said, mustering all his courage and looking his sensei dead in the eye. Chouza's eyebrows raised at Iruka's display of courage._

_Iruka was growing up, and just how much was owed to this strange, face-less, name-less toddler?_

_"I think you can join Tsuman for ten laps," he said, "I'll have something else for you later. And you're on grunt work duty for the next month."_

_Iruka inwardly groaned. Grunt work mean hauling water, collecting firewood, and taking the most night-watch shifts on missions, as well as fetching damp towels and lunch among other things during regular training. He stood and saluted his sensei._

_"Hai," he said, walking away calmly before breaking into a sprint. Chouza watched his back, thinking he was looking at more of a man than a boy._

_**oOoOoOo**_

_Kimi had no money and no-one to talk to, so she sat dejectedly on the front step of her favorite candy shop and meeting place with Iruka, cheek in hand, poking at the dirt with a sandaled foot. She wondered if all ninjas trained, or if Iruka and his cell members were a special case._

_She would have to ask Iruka when he was done training._

_A hush fell over the street and she glanced up, rubbing at the sore red-mark on her jaw from where her hand had left a mark. As if on cue, a cloud drifted across the sun as pedestrians cleared away from the middle of the street, dragging their young children with them. Kimi couldn't hear what the adults were saying, but the tone of their voices was vicious and, though not directed at her, still stung somewhere in her chest._

_She caught sight of that shock of blonde hair bobbing down the street. A boy, wearing a white shirt with an orange swirl, head hung, watching his scuffing feet kick up small dust clouds. Every now and then he would look up and around, as if hoping someone wouldn't snarl and draw away, but finding none who didn't, would look down again and shuffle along._

_Kimi was angry that everyone would treat him so._

_Tossing aside an insect she had begun amusing herself with, she waved the boy over. He noticed and, with a quizzical, almost fearful and apologetic look, he shuffled over. Kimi offered him a brilliant grin._

_"I'm sorry," she said, "I don't have no money for candy today."_

_His expression was a blatant, **what?**_

_"But you can sit with me," she continued, scooting over and patting the step. Hesitantly, the boy seated himself, fidgeting nervously with the frayed hems of his shorts._

_The street filled and brightened, but Kimi and the boy's corner seemed to stay darken. She wondered if he carried a permanent sun-blocking-cloud._

_"I'm Kamigawa Kimi!" she said brightly, indicated to herself with a thumb. He looked at her, head tilted, and nodded. She waited for him to tell her his name, but he didn't answer. Maybe he had lost his voice._

_"What's the matter? Did you lose your voice?" she said. He opened his mouth to answer, then closed it and shrugged, turning away. Kimi frowned, hugging her knees._

_"I wish I had candy," she said, "candy makes everything better. It's good for the soul, Tou-san says. Next time, I'll get you candy!"_

_The boy was silent. Slowly, he said, "I like ramen..."_

_Kimi blinked a few times, then laughed. "Ramen? That's weird!"_

_She didn't hear his soft, choked sob._

_"You know, Kaa-san never lets me eat ramen. She says it's bad for me. It will stop me from becoming so tall I can touch the sky, ne ne, look!" She stretched her arms to the sky when the boy looked, "See? So tall to touch the sky! If I eat ramen, I won't grow so tall."_

_The boy frowned, and she lowered her arms._

_"I'll tell you a secret, though," she said, leaning in and whispering into his ear, "I seen Tou-san eat ramen and he growed so tall he touched the sky!"_

_The blonde gave her a wide-eyed stare, drinking it all in, and she nodded. "Yup! So I think that one or two ramens won't hurt. Next time, let's get ramen!"_

_"I," he said, his voice cracking. Kimi continued to grin, oblivious._

_"Hey! Get offa my doorstep, bakemono! Kimi, what did I tell you about talking to that boy?" the owner of the candy store barked, bursting out through the door. He grabbed Kimi by the wrist, jerking her away. Instantly, the dark cloud seemed to have lifted from Kimi, but the boy stood in still deeper shadow. She was jostled inside and the shopkeeper waved his hands at the boy. "Shoo, go, I don't want you here. You heard me, go!"_

_Kimi peered around the man's legs as the boy's eyes filled with tears and he turned and ran, raising an arm to wipe furiously at his eyes. She looked up at the shopkeeper, fat tears filling her eyes, not understanding why he had to be so mean to the boy. The man looked down at her and scowled._

_"I told you not to play with him!" he said gruffly, stomping behind the counter._

_Kimi's lip quivered as she tried not to bawl._

_"Hey, hey, don't cry," he sighed, taking his cap off to itch at his hair, "Here, pick out some candy. It's on me."_

_Instantly, Kimi was all smiles._

_Candy makes everything better._

_"Licori-" she paused, "No, toffee, please!"_

_"Here, some toffee for you," he said gruffly, putting the handful of candy in a brown paper bag and handing it to Kimi who clutched it gleefully._

_"Thankyou!" she said, cheerfully skipping out of the shop. She resumed her post on the steps of the candy shop and unwrapped a single toffee, turning it over in her fingers until it was nothing more than a sticky mess, before popping it in her mouth._

_She was just licking away the sugar coating on her fingers when she glimpsed Iruka coming up the street at a run. She stood and waved._

_"Iruka-san!" she cried out joyfully._

_"I can't stop to chat, Kimi-chan!" he shouted, wiping sweat from his brow, "I still have six more laps to run!"_

_"Laps?" Kimi asked, not shouting so much as Iruka approached. He nodded._

_"Around Konoha," he explained. Kimi tried to fall in step with him, but was quickly falling behind._

_"I got you toffee!" she exclaimed, holding up the bag for him to see. She tripped and fell. Iruka looked back at her, worried, running backwards, until he collided with a pedestrian, who shouted angrily at him and shook their fists while apologized, still running._

_"Meet me at the park when you're done, okay!?" she shouted after him. He raised a hand to acknowledge her and Kimi smiled to herself, satisfied, and headed to the park._

_**oOoOoOo**_

_It was long past sun-down when Iruka drug himself to the park. Much to his surprise, he found Kimi asleep in the grass on their hill, sucking on her thumb, clutching the bag of completely-melted toffees. He smiled as he sat beside her._

_"Kimi-chan," he murmured, touching her shoulder, "Wake up. I'm here."_

_"Irhuka-han?" she slurred, popping her thumb out of her mouth and sitting up, blearily rubbing her eyes. "I have... toffees." she presented him with the bag of mess. He took it, nonetheless, setting it aside where he hoped she would forget about it. It was far past inedible by this point._

_"Yes, I'm here," he answered. She nodded._

_"I gots a question," she announced between yawns. Iruka chuckled softly to himself._

_"Fire away, Kimi-chan."_

_"What is training?" she asked, "Do all ninja train, or just you and... and... Tsu... Tsu... um..."_

_"Tsuman and Tsuyimi?" Iruka gently suggested. Kimi nodded. He sighed, leaning back on his hands in the tall grass, frowning up at the partial moon._

_"Training is what shinobi do to become stronger," he explained, "Mentally, physically, spiritually... everyone trains. Even people who aren't ninja train in something or other. Like you will have to go to school and learn to read and write. That's a type of training."_

_Kimi grinned a toothy grin, "I can read real goodly already!"_

_"Really?" Iruka hummed, "I'm not surprised."_

_"Iruka-san?"_

_"Hmm?"_

_"Could I train?" she asked, "With you?"_

_Iruka frowned. "You're too young, Kimi-chan, I-"_

_"But I've already trained!" she protested, pouting cutely the way only a child could, "You sayed reading was a training! I read real goodly, so I can train, too!"_

_Iruka sighed. "But Kimi, my training is a different kind of training."_

_"I can do your training, too!" Kimi protested, getting to her feet. She ran in circles around him. "See? I can run! I can jump, too!" she said, clearing a log. Iruka watched her with smiling eyes._

_"Maybe, but it's still different." The look on Kimi's face told him she wasn't going to take no for an answer. "It's late, Kimi-chan. Let me take you back home before your parents start to worry, all right?"_

_"Train!" she said, stomping her foot, "Train! I want train, I want train, now!"_

_"It's too late for training," Iruka explained, getting up and hoisting her onto his shoulders. She shrieked delightedly and held on tightly as he walked them away. "We'll talk about it some other time, all right?"_

_She considered it._

_"Fine."_

_Iruka smiled; she was asleep long before he got to her house where a nervous Yuuki and Obouru were waiting for their daughter._

* * *

Yes, a long chapter! Go me! (it was 10 pages in font size 9... yeah!)

**Meanings:**

I'm too lazy to do any of these this chapter. Maybe I'll re-post later if I change my mind...

_**This entire story is dedicated to my friend, Stephie, who is the sole reason this story is even continuing. Yeah, this is my lame excuse of a birthday present to her. Aren't you glad you aren't -my- friend, huh?**_


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